Bike Grand Rapids: West Side to Uptown and Back Again

Want to get to know Grand Rapids? Spend a day biking through it. “It is by riding a bicycle that you learn the contours of a country best,” wrote Ernest Hemingway. Biking allows for a slower, more observant pace than car travel and immerses you in the unique rhythms of the different areas you visit – like our historic West Side and hip Uptown neighborhoods, both included in this self-guided bicycling tour.

We’ve showcased a few favorite destinations on this route, but give yourself plenty of time to explore anything else along the way that catches your eye.

Before you embark, take a few minutes to brush up on your bike safety at grdrivingchange.org. Featuring interactive quizzes, videos, and lists of rules for both cyclists and drivers, GR Driving Change helps keep cyclists safe and drivers accountable. You’ll be sharing roads with passenger vehicles on this tour, so stay alert and cautious.

West Side

Start your ride at John Ball Zoo and the adjacent John Ball Zoo Park. With over 2,000 animals to see in a combination of indoor and outdoor exhibits, the zoo has more animal-touching exhibits than any museum in Michigan, creating a hands-on learning opportunity for kids and adults alike. The park is abundant with picnic tables, shade trees, and grassy areas perfect for picnicking and playing. 

There is ample free parking if you’re transporting your bike to the zoo by car. There is also a bike parking and repair area, should you decide to take the bus – all our Rapid buses are equipped with bike racks and the Garfield stop on Rapid route 12 is just a half mile from the zoo. You can also bike to the zoo from Byron Center, Grandville, Walker, Wyoming and other suburbs via Kent Trails, a 15-mile paved off-road system.

Another alternative: download the Lime bike-sharing app and rent a seated e-assist bike for this journey.

Bike from John Ball Zoo to Bridge Street Market and New Holland Knickerbocker

(1.6 miles, about 10 minutes)

The ever-developing West Side is quickly becoming home to some of the best restaurants in Grand Rapids – and most of them seem to be popping up on Bridge Street. A dynamic mix of restaurants, breweries, storefronts, and dive bars bring together old Grand Rapids style with some newcomer’s flare. Check out Bridge Street Market, an innovative neighborhood grocery store format from local industry titan Meijer. Butcher’s Union offers a mouth-watering dedication to high-quality meat and whiskey. New Holland Brewing Company’s expansive Knickerbocker is always hopping on the weekend. The brewery is home to classic pub fare and a rotating selection of craft beers.

You can take Valley Avenue, at the northeast edge of John Ball Park, north to Bridge Street. (Another great restaurant, Scandinavian-influenced The Sovengard, stands at the intersection of Valley and Bridge). Valley is a residential street lined with parked cars, so use caution. Head east (right) on Bridge, which boasts dedicated bike lanes. Bridge Street Market is about 0.8 miles from Valley. There are bike racks outside The Knickerbocker and at several other points along the street.

Bike from Bridge Street Market and New Holland Knickerbocker to Gerald R. Ford Presidential Museum

(0.4 miles, about 4 minutes)

Downtown

Now head east on Bridge Street, then south on Scribner Avenue to the rear of Gerald R. Ford Presidential Museum . There is a bike rack near the front entrance of the facility. The museum dedicated to the 38th president of the United States is replete with interactive exhibits celebrating American history. Visitors can pay their respects on the grounds, as this is the final resting place of President Ford and Mrs. Betty Ford.

Bike from Gerald R. Ford Presidential Museum to Rosa Parks Circle

(0.4 Miles, about 4 minutes) ​

Bike south out of the museum parking lot to Pearl Street and head east to Monroe Avenue. Rosa Parks Circle is at the southeast corner of the intersection. There are bike racks available.

A functional work of art by famed sculptor Maya Lin, Rosa Parks Circle is the unofficial heart of downtown Grand Rapids. It is the setting for all sorts of community gatherings, from concerts and food trucks in the summer to ice skating in the winter. Rest your legs and stay awhile, there’s always something to see and someone to talk to.

Once you’ve caught your second wind, check out the Grand Rapids Art Museum adjacent to Rosa Parks Circle. Stroll through the permanent and rotating exhibits – general admission is free on Tuesdays and Thursday nights, but it’s worth the small regular price to wander the halls of some spectacularly curated art.

Bike from Rosa Parks Circle to Fulton Street Farmers Market

(2.2 miles, about 15 minutes)

Uptown

Now that your legs have had a little rest, bike south from Rosa Parks Circle on Monroe Avenue to Fulton Street, two-tenths of a mile away. Follow Fulton east to the Fulton Street Farmers Market. You’ll have to share the road with vehicles most of the way. The market is equipped with several bike racks.

The market is open Wednesdays, Fridays and Saturdays from 8am to 2pm the first Saturday in May through the last Saturday of October and from 10am to 1pm every Saturday from November through April. Over 200 vendors and artisans display rows of local produce, baked goods, and fresh flowers, tempting the nose and the stomach. If it happens to be any other day of the week, lots of great restaurants and coffee shops are located on Fulton Street. Check out Madcap Coffee’s Fulton Street location, a half mile from the market. Indulge in plentiful outdoor seating, wonderful roasts, and all sorts of specialty coffee concoctions.

Bike from Fulton Street Farmers Market to Sticky Fingers

(0.8 miles, about 6 minutes)

Bike east on Fulton to Carlton Avenue and head south to Lake Drive. Turn left on Lake for a short ride to Eastown, a neighborhood retail and restaurant district. You’ll know you’ve reached Eastown when the dedicated bike lanes appear.

Get some fuel for the next leg of your journey at Sticky Fingers, which is filled with new and nostalgic candy from well-known and unusual brands.

Get some fuel for the next leg of your journey in Eastown, one of four neighborhood retail and restaurant districts that that collectively form the Uptown neighborhood. Sticky Fingers  is filled to the brim with new and nostalgic candy from well-known and unusual brands. Right around the corner on Wealthy Avenue is Rebel, a modern gift shop worth checking out before you continue on your journey.  There are bike racks throughout Eastown.

Bike From Sticky Fingers to Donkey Taquería

(1 mile, about 8 minutes)

Bike west on brick-paved Wealthy Avenue from Rebel to Donkey Taquería, a place that is as well known for its margaritas as its tacos. Offering creative Mexican cuisine and (arguably) the city’s best guacamole, it’s a can’t-miss stop on the city tour. Don't be thrown off by the lack of the sign. If they advertised it, there would be no seats at all. There is spacious bicycle parking outside the restaurant.

Bike from Donkey Taquería to Downtown Market Grand Rapids

(1.1 miles, about 8 minutes)

Bike west on Wealthy to Division Avenue, then south to McConnell. Head west on McConnell, which dead-ends at the Grand Rapids Downtown Market. Featuring 19 indoor food merchants and restaurants under one roof, the Downtown Market offers multiple options for quick bites and leisurely meals. Try Café de Miro  for Kurdish-style Mediterranean delights or Tacos El Cunado  for delicious Mexican street food. Field & Fire Bakery  has fresh loaves and addicting samples, while the Sushi Market  combines fresh seafood, fruits and vegetables in delectable ways.

The second floor boasts extra seating options and a year-round greenhouse that can help chase away gray winter blues. There are bike racks outside the market.

Bike from Grand Rapids Downtown Market to John Ball Zoo

(2.2 miles, about 14 minutes)

Bike north on Ionia Avenue, right outside the market, to Fulton Street (about six-tenths of a mile). Then you can follow Fulton west back to John Ball Zoo.

Pat yourself on the back for, as Hemingway would say, truly learning the contours and character of the city. And if this whets your appetite for more Grand Rapids area cycling, check out the biking page for more information on the best cycling the city has to offer.

Total mileage: 9.7 miles
Total bike time: approximately 1 hour and 9 minutes